On the Road ...Canada!

Ellsworth to Calais, cross the border, camp in  St. John at Harding's Point Camground

Beautiful drive along Highway 1 in Maine. Every once in awhile a surprise view of the bay would show up. Such a treat! I stopped at Roque Bluffs Beach State Park for lunch.

 

Roque (ROCK) Beach
very cold!!!

Rose bushes all over!
the air smells wonderful.
I picked some petals for my van :-)

Border 

Border Crossing

Good bye U.S.

New Brunswick, here I come!

front yard goats

Ok, I know, it’s only going to Canada. Nothing stressful. Easy peasy. And it was until I started driving. It’s really hard to read directions, figure out the highway signs, and make quick turns while driving. But since I missed the first exit, look who I got to meet!

I pulled over, consulted Tina, my navigator, and got her set for Canada, New Brunswick. (Tina, Bossy Pants) Back on the highway speed sign says 60 then 70, and I’m thinking they go fast here! Then 90!!! And it dawns on me. Hahaha! Even though my van is made in Canada, there are no little kms anywhere on the speedometer to help out. But I have taught KM to M, so I make a good guess. Now I am keeping up without speeding and feeling pretty good about the road. They use really weird symbols on the highway exit signs-a hand holding an urn?!?  I was hoping the customs agent had given me a ‘tell all’ about driving in Canada paper in this big fat envelope he handed me. Just a survey, so helpful! I have stopped in St. John for 2 days to settle in and investigate a few things more closely. 

On the Road Again...part 4

East Blue Hill; Acadia National Park; Ellsworth, Maine

I got that lobster roll today!! But that’s later. I started my day with fresh, piping hot popovers! ‘Common Good’ is a soup kitchen in the winter, to raise funds they serve fresh popovers and homemade oatmeal during the summer. YUM! Check out the view across the way. And the ocean smell!!!

Winter Soup Kitchen

fresh and hot
Yes, I bought some mix :-)

Bass Harbor 

I had an up close and personal tour of a working farm in East Blue Hill, ME today. My son-in-law’s brother, Eran, works with a group called World Organization of Organic Farmers. He is here living in a yurt with his girlfriend, Stephanie, and they work the farm with the owners. It is a small farm, but set within 13 acres of heavily forested evergreen trees. The owners cleared the land and built all the buildings from the wood. It is an exquisite place. Eran was here last winter and learned to use all the wood tooling machines. He has worked with the wood from chopping the tree to making the planks to a finished household product. It’s pretty cool.

Wood shop
Eran's projects

Apple orchard
beautiful wild flowers below

snap peas
warm from the sun, so sweet!!!

very happy busy bees

Built this rolling crop cover,
early start for some crops
winter protection for others

We took Sheba, dog, along on our tour of Acadia national Park. Arya ignored her. No hissing even! I’ll just post some pics because it was beautiful!!!

Please, PLEASE throw the stick!!

After a day of one breathtaking view after another, Eran and I parted ways in the Walmart parking lot. He went home to Stephanie and I went back down the road to get that lobsta roll. And it was REALLY good.

Look at those big chunks of lobster!! Hardly any mayo.
I just ate the meat, the bread and such was kind a lame.

Tomorrow-Border Crossing at Calais (Ka-LAY), Maine

On the Road Again...part 3

On the Road Again…Part3

Bass Harbor Campground, Acadia National Park, Maine                                                                                                        

 I left Cape Ann with directions to a restaurant for ‘the best lobstah rolls around’. I was very excited, hadn’t had one yet! But first!! I had to stop to see ‘The Paper House’. No way to miss this. Except for the roof, deck, and supports the house is totally made from paper. Furniture, piano, grandfather clock, everything!! There was no kitchen; I just realized that! Haha!! This is what I call a hobby!!! I used internet photos, I think I have to learn how to  use a ‘real’ camera.

Front porch

That's a chaise lounge on the right.
Looks so comfy, doesn't it??

"This desk gives accounts of
Col. Charles Lindbergh's Flights"

http://paperhouserockport.com/inside.html

I went on to Lotsa Lobsta but I was too early. I knew I had a long drive ahead, so I hit the road, skipping their breakfast. I wanted to make Acadia and settle in before too late.

Typically I use the small roads, single lanes that go through every little town. After all, this is what it is all about for me.  But today I had at least a five hour drive so I took the interstate. I pulled in to Bass Harbor Campgrounds about 6. Still lots of hours of light ahead, June 20^th after all. What I hadn’t realized was how big Acadia National Park is. I drove through so much of it before arriving at the camp. Lots of homes, beautiful striking evergreen forest; I need a copilot to take pictures!! Just a few pics of us at camp, Park pics to come!!

All the way down at the tippy tip!!     ^

Camp,
notice Arya hooked to the goose

The trees were awesome!

Lobster pots at camp

Tomorrow-drive the loop tour in the park. oh, and get my GOLDEN PARK PASS!!!

On the Road Again...Part 2

oooohhhhh! new place to explore
I am ignoring the bird chatter.

On the Road Again... Part 2

Cape Ann Campsite: the tide comes in, the tide goes out.  

I am sitting here, laughing because the laughing gulls are so funny!! They really laugh! What a kick! And the starlings are really chattering away because Arya is out and they are not happy. Today it is only one keeping track of her; yesterday there were about 10.

I barely left my site today and yet my day was busy busy. The last camp I stayed at dribbled all these lovely flower blossoms on the van, so I scrubbed and washed it today. I would like to be able to hose down the roof, but that’s not happenin’ now. I polished the windows inside and out, wiped the dashboard down, dusted the doors and swept the rug. Sounds like a lot doesn’t it? And everything is sparkling!! But I have spent more time blogging than doing all that. These picture inserts are going to drive me crazy. This time I am putting them all at the bottom with little captions. Enjoy!!

I tried some bark rubbings today. It was my sister, Mary Lynn’s idea. It is kind of hard to get a good impression. Then I wanted to sketch the trees - that was even harder! A few on line tutorials were helpful, but no photos here of finished work.    I am also keeping a travel journal, so time with that today. And then a few tweaks on the itinerary!

I am so glad I stayed another day here; it is so crystal clear and gorgeous!   

Tide coming in

                               

Tide half way in

Tide in!

On the Road Again...Part 1 of many

On the Road Again…part 1

I am starting quite a journey, every place on this trip is new to me. Never been. I will be following the eastern seaboard to Nova Scotia, around Prince Edward Island, through New Brunswick, over to Ontario, Montreal, Sault Ste Marie, down the Lake Michigan shore to home town Oak Park! Whew!

I left Croton Point Park, NY the other day. After having been there on and off for 2 and a half months, I felt a little tug at my heart.  

Good Bye Croton Point

 It is a great park, and it is near Rachel and Dov! I set off for Provincetown, MA. located on the tippy tip of Cape Cod. I chose it because by looking at a map, it would seem to have awesome beaches and views. (I have planned my whole trip based on beaches and views haha!)

I started my day with breakfast at the home of some fellow RVers, David and Myra, in Trumbull, Connecticut. It was a fun way to start off and they gave me LOTS of brochures and ideas for the Canada part of my trip. I pulled into Dunes Edge Campground in Provincetown about 5. I met my neighbors as I was settling in and later joined them to eat our dinners together. They are best friends and hadn’t seen each other in 3 years, they were enjoying a great time having a ‘reunion’ this being the last place they had been together. That evening itself is full of stories! They were great entertainment.

I set off first thing the next morning to explore the town. Close enough to walk! But the neighbors gave me a ride and set me in the right direction. The town was busy and hopping with activity.  

Commercial Street

tootsies in the bay :-)

As I am sure everyone, but me, knows it is home to a thriving artists’ colony and a LGBT community, which meant eating lunch on the patio was quite colorful. I spent as much time at the beaches as possible, but mostly sketching. The beaches here are not really meant for swimming and bathing. The view out was pretty with 3 lighthouses, and a foghorn blowing!  


I got out of the crowds and walked to the southern tip of town to find the park recognizing the Pilgrim’s first landing place. Along the way, I enjoyed rose bush after rose bush. All in fabulous bloom sending out wonderful scents everywhere. I came across the Standish House!  Finding the park, full of roses, I walked to the shore and out over the bay. As I looked back at the town, I imagined the view they must have seen, wild and “empty” yet full of the unknown. Now it is built up right to the shoreline.

Busy shoreline

Standish House

Wednesday I started out leisurely, thinking I didn’t have a long drive with only 3 places I wanted to visit. I expected to spend the night at Walmart half way to Acadia National Park. I had the goal of getting to Canada somewhat quickly, knowing I would be back on this route again. I stopped in Hyannis to have lunch under The Beech Tree. Recommended by Nancy and Peter.  But only dinner is served. Cute little town, though and a few nice beaches :-)  I continued on to Sandwich for a sandwich at Café Chew. YUMMY all organic with fresh, fresh ingredients.

I continued on heading to Plymouth. A crowded town, but will be back ‘off season’. I took a quick look at the Mayflower ll, the Rock, the Bay, the town and headed back to the van. Oh, and a bookstore! back on the road within an hour and off to Manchester. 

Mayflower ll

Plymouth Bay looking out -
this is where they 'parked'

Plymouth Rock
half what it used to be
Souvenir grabbers,
moved, touched, scraped

I timed the drive to perfectly coincide with Boston’s rush hour. I think I can now pick out the Boston skyline in any movie! I had planned to walk around Manchester, but considering the time, I drove through slowly-definitely going back. Cute!! Off to Gloucester and it was 7:00!! I still had 2 hours to my destination, so I erased that plan. 

I am now at Cape Ann, a western tip 20 minutes north of Gloucester. This is my current view. 

Cape Ann Campsite
bay view, tide almost in

As I type I am watching the tide come in, pretty cool actually, it comes in surprisingly quick! Arya voted for a second night and I totally agreed. Soon I will head to the beach for some sun n fun!

Please?? One more night??

a few more fun pics:

The memory tasted better haha!

ALL kinds of people posed with
these cute bears.

buoys!

ROSES!

found posted on a house fence
Then always be a pirate!!